Designing a Scroll-Stopping Visual for the HVAC Industry
In the fast-paced world of social media, catching someone’s attention in just a split second is no easy task—especially in industries like HVAC, where most visuals tend to be highly functional and often overlooked. That’s exactly why I set out to create a bold, attention-grabbing graphic for Imperium Heating & Cooling, a St. Louis-based HVAC company that specializes in improving indoor air quality for homes and businesses.
Image of a dust mite used in HVAC awareness graphic for a St. Louis heating and cooling company.
The Concept: Make Them Stop and Think
I started with a single question: What would make someone stop scrolling? The idea of something microscopic—yet deeply unsettling—lurking in your home’s air vents felt compelling enough to build a visual narrative around.
The copy, “WHAT IS HIDING IN YOUR AIR VENTS?”, became the anchor for the entire composition. It’s a bold question that speaks to a shared concern many people don’t even realize they have: poor indoor air quality and the microscopic intruders (like dust mites) that thrive in our ductwork.
Design Execution: Visual Tension and Clean Typography
To bring my idea to life, I sourced a high-resolution, colorized scanning electron microscope (SEM) image of a dust mite and carefully manipulated it to fit the aesthetic of Imperium’s branding. I colorized the photo and composited it onto a moody, AI-generated textured background to simulate the interior of an air duct. The goal was to create a visual that felt dramatic yet grounded in scientific realism.
While the graphic is visually arresting, it still needed to feel like Imperium. I carefully aligned the typeface, layout, and tone with the company’s existing brand identity to maintain visual continuity across their platforms. Every piece of visual content—even a single campaign post—should always reinforce the broader brand story.
To maintain visual hierarchy and stop-the-scroll impact, I placed bold sans serif typography front and center, ensuring the message came through clearly even at a glance on mobile. I kept the overall layout minimalist and clean, staying true to both Imperium’s voice and my own design philosophy: less is more.
The unsettling texture of the mite, combined with the stark visual simplicity, made the piece just uncomfortable enough to capture attention without going too far.
Tools Used
• Adobe Photoshop – image manipulation and color grading
• Adobe Illustrator – typography layout and logo placement
• Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn – for multi-platform social media rollout
Final Thoughts
This project highlights the intersection of creative ideation and brand strategy—and how thoughtful design can elevate even the most unexpected subjects. By transforming something invisible (and frankly a little gross) into a captivating visual, I was able to support a simple but powerful message: Clean air matters.
For me, that’s what graphic design is all about—not just making something look good, but making it work harder for the message it carries.
If you’re a business looking to elevate your visuals with brand-aligned, story-driven design, get in touch or explore more of my portfolio.
Image Credit
Photo by WikiImages on Pixabay.
The image of the dust mite featured in this graphic was sourced from Pixabay, where it is offered under the Pixabay License, which allows free commercial use without attribution. However, as a designer who values ethical and responsible creative practices, I always aim to credit original creators when possible.